Musical instrument



I April-15, 1930.

J. N.'VASEY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 27, 1927 Patented Apr. 15, 1930 JOSEPH N. VASEY, OF IBROOKFIELD, LL'N'OI'S MUSICAL NSTRUMENT Application led December 27, 1927. Serial No. 242,655.

My invention 'relates 'to musical instruments, such as pianos, and the object is to provide improved construction and arrangement of the string supporting frame and 'the 5 sounding body.

The general practice heretofore, in the Vconstruction of instruments such as pianos, has been to intimately secure the sounding body to the surrounding frame which supports l the pinsfor the strings extending across the sounding body. Such construction subjects the sounding body to the strains, stresses and distortions of the frame and prevents the sounding body from producing the proper l resonance, tone, volume and other characteristics.

VOne of the important objects of my invention is to provide arrangement which will make the sounding body independent of the stresses, strains'or distortions of the string supporting frame and leave it free to function properly and efficiently to exercise in tone, volume, resonance and other characteristics. With the exception of the string pressure thereon the sounding body is entirely free of any pressures or strains either vertical or horizontal.

Another important object is to provide an improved and eiiicient sounding body entirely of non-metallic material such as wood and of such 'form and construction that it will respond to the vibrations of the strings to produce maximum power, volume, and resonance of tone.

Another important object is to provide an efficient all metal yet comparatively light frame for surrounding and supporting the sounding body and for properly and rigidly holding the pins for tuning and stretching the strings across the sounding body.

Referring to the drawing.

Fig. l is a plan View of the supporting frame and the sounding body thereon.

Fig. 2, is a sectional View on plane 2 2 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3, is a sectional View on plane 3 3 of Fig. l.

The supporting frame is preferably cast integral of suitable metal such as cast iron or steel andcomprises a rear wall structure l0,

and front wall structure "l1, and 'the sidewalls l2 and 13. The 'rear wallstructure curved in accordance with the Varying lengths ofthe v strings which the frame is to support, and the wall structure is preferably of channeled cross section as best shown'in F i'g.`2, 'to accommodate wooden blocks lli for anchoring the tuning pins 15, the Vpins being 'extended thru holes 16 in the top wall of the wall structure and threading into Vthe 'wooden blocks. 60 The blocks may be held inpla'ce by screwsl?, The front ends of the strings are anchored to the stationary pins 18 secured tothe front wall structure l1. To strengthen 'the suppoimingframe it may have one or more lon- V gitudinally extending brace members 19, and cross brace members 20, such brace members preferably forming an integral `part off the frame structure.

The sounding body is disposed'within the 70 four Walls of the supporting `frame but 'is sup orted solely by the ledges 2l and A22 exten ing inwardly Vfrom the front and rear wall structures 'of the supporting frame. r The sounding body comprises the front and 7 rear end beams 23 and 24,'preferably'of wood, on top of which is securedV the 'sounding board structure 25 and 'to the lbottom Vof which beams are secured the sounding box structures bof which three are shown. Each sounding box structure comprises a bottom wall 26 and side walls 27 secured Vto and extendingbetween vthe'end beams 23 and 24. Extending preferably alongthe median line in each sounding box is a stiifening brace or rib 28 glued to the under side of the sounding board or panel and extending between the end beams 23 and 24. 'Each sounding box in its lower walls has preferably an opening 29 for the passage of sound. Y 90 The strings S extend over the top of the sounding body'and rest on the 'rail 30 'running along the rear edge of a bridge strip 31 which along its front edge is secured'to the v sounding board or panel'25, the strip being 95 in greater part spaced away Afrom thepanel. The pressure of the strings downwardly against the sounding body by way of the string rail-30 and strip 31 is the only -force holding the sounding -vbody 'on the support- 10o ing ledges 21 and 22 of the supporting frame. The sounding body is entirely free from any other engagement with the supporting frame so that it will be unintluenced by any strains, stresses or distortions in or on the supporting frame. The sounding panel and the resounding boxes or chambers will therefore be entirely free and unhampered to receive the string vibration and to accord the proper power, volume, and resonance to the tone. In other words the sounding body is entirely free to exercise its musical characteristics without being in any wise influenced by the strings or other strain on the supporting frame. At the sameY time the supporting frame by .its supporting contact with the sounding body will add resonance and power to the tone.

In practice a key board is mounted on and supported entirely by the supporting frame independently of the sounding body. It is unnecesasry to show such key board as its application is well known, its hammers responding tothe striking of the keys to strike and sound the corresponding strings.

The sounding body is of simple yet very eticient construction. The end beams or bars 23 and 24 alone engage the supporting ledges 2l and 22, the sounding boxes or chambers being clear at their ends of the ledges so that they may respond entirely independently and free of any contact with or influence by the supporting frame. The sounding board or panel 25 is crowned slightly and as the pressure of the strings is transmitted thereto thru the rail strip 31 the panel will tend to flatten but will be prevented-from so doing by the sounding boxes, the result being that the walls yof said sounding boxes will be tensed and their eiiiciency to increase the sound volume and resonance will be greatly improved.

Having described my invention I claim as follows:

1. In a musical instrument, the combination of a string supporting frame, a sounding body surrounded by said frame, said frame having ledges on which said body is seated at its edges, said body being otherwise free from said frame, strings on said frame spanning said body, and bridge structure on said body engaged by the strings whereby said body is held by the pressure of the strings in position on said ledges.

2. In a musical instrument, the combination of a string supporting frame, a sounding body surrounded by said frame, said trame having ledges on its front and rear walls, said body resting on said ledges but being otherwise free of said trame, strings extending between the front and rear walls of said frame and across said body, and bridge structure on said body engaged by said string whereby said body is held by the string pressure in position on said ledges.

3. In a musical instrument, the combination of a. st-ring supporting frame, a sounding body surrounded by said Jtrame, said frame having ledges on its front and rear walls, said body resting at its front and rear edges on said ledges and being otherwise entirely free of said frame, strings extending between the front and rear walls of said frame, and a string rail along the rear edge of saidY body engaged by said string, the pressure of said strings on said body holding it in place on said ledges.

t. In a musical instrument, the combination of a string supporting frame cast integral of metal, a sounding body constructed entirely o'lf wood, said supporting frame having ledges on its front and rear walls'and said sounding body resting at its edges on said ledges but being otherwise free from said trame, anchor pins on the front wall of said frame and tuning pins on the rear wall thereof, strings extending between said pins, and a bridge structure on said sounding body engaged by said strings whereby said body is held in place on said ledges by the string pressure.

5. In a musical instrument, the combination of a sounding body of wood, a metallic string supporting 'frame surrounding said body, ledges on said Jframe, said body resting on said 1edges but being otherwise free from said frame, a string rail on said body enaged by said strings, said body being held to said ledges solely by the pressure of said strings, and a key board `mounted on said frame over said strings.

6. In a musical instrument, a sounding body comprising a sounding board, front and rear beams to which said board is secured, a bottom wall attached to the opposite face of said beams, and a plurality of sounding boxes disposed below said board and composed of said wall and partitions carried solely thereby.

7. In amusic al instrument, a sounding body comprising front and rear supporting beams, a sounding panel secured at its front and rear to the top of said beams, a plurality of parallel sounding boxes extending between and secured against the underside of said beams, said sounding boxes being separated from each other and from said sounding panels.

8. In a piano structure, the combination of a sounding body of wood, a metallic string supporting frame surrounding said body, ledges on said frame, said body resting on said ledges and comprising a sounding panel and a plurality of sounding boxes below said panel, said sounding boxes being spaced from said panel and from said frame.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscriloed my name this 22nd day of December, 192

JOSEPH N. VASEY. 

